Laura hummed her latest tune softly while stroking Henry's thick hair. She often teased him saying that his hair was the only thing she liked about his body. He rubbed her thigh and shifted in her lap. He stopped humming and smiled. The smile turned out to be more of a grimace due to her yawning, time for the goodnight ritual. First, Henry grabbed her arm gently and kissed the smooth metal band around her ring finger. Then he began to trace letters on her thigh. As he traced she stated the letters aloud, just like the first time. I, L-O-V-E love, Y-O-U you. Really truly, she whispered. Y-E-S. I love you too Henry. Goodnight. He kissed her and they fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms. Just as they did every night since their wedding holding each other close.
Laura often wondered what Henry saw in her. That thought usually made her giggle because she was blind. And Henry would never be able to answer her question normally because he was a mute. She smiled thinking of their life together. Eight years and counting was nothing to sneeze at with the world against them. Just the thought of that crazy six months to the altar still made her shake her head in disbelief. That her own sister would hold her back from a life that she'd always secretly dreamed of… Well, the naysayers were still talking but Henry remained her rock. And as long as he believed in her she felt secure enough to believe in them. Of course it helped that her best friend Maggie believed in them too.
"Laura, can I offer you some advice?" Maggie voiced hesitantly. "Of course you can Mags, anytime." Laura invited warmly. "Don't let Henry go no matter what your family says." She followed up fiercely. "I know them. Your parents have always felt guilty about the accident and your sister…well; she's jealous of you and always has been. But the thing you need to remember Laur is that you're strong and that Henry loves you. I know you can't SEE it the way I can but he's always looking at you and it's a beautiful look Laur. I hope I'm lucky enough to find a man with even half the love that your Henry contains." Laura was crying now. "I won't Mags. And you will. You will. "
Her sister was an entirely different story. As much as she was loathed to admit it…Mags was right. Her sister showed every sign of being jealous. It could have been the strong bond between her and Henry while her sister was suffering through a separation that ended in an eventual divorce. But or it could have been Henry's full head of hair which had been described to her as a luscious dark brown. His eyes which Laura had been told could rival the sky. Or his nice build which Laura had felt a bit for herself and knew that he certainly wasn't lacking for muscles. And Maggie certainly waxed poetic about his highly symmetrical face with its wonderful features before jokingly teasing her about how unfair it was that the blind girl got the gorgeous guy.
Whatever it was, Ashley had tried her damndest to keep them apart. Laura wasn't as angry as much as she was hurt by her actions. Going as far as to try and fake a relationship with Henry and then an illness…it boggled the mind. Truly.
And her parents. After Laura was done laughing about the fact that they flat out forbid her to see Henry, she realized that they were serious. And, well, she could have handled it better but for Pete's sake she was merely blind not paraplegic or mentally retarded. But now, she can appreciate where they were coming from. The yelling matches did bring up good points. Ones she went over with Henry.
Henry…he never gave up. He pursued her relentlessly and gently. Lovingly and passionately. He taught her to step out on faith and never give up hope.
Henry was truly her hero. He gave her her freedom and he gave her his heart. That was a gift she'll always esteem. And a gift that she graciously received. As for her, she gave him her life to cherish and her hand in marriage after a beautiful courtship and all the difficulties it contained. When she complained about how unfair it seemed that it was an unbalanced giving, his wonderful self for her crazy family, he told her anything worth having was never without challenges and the challenges proved the value of the thing.
Her parents eventually came around, and although she hadn't seen her sister in a while she had hopes that Ashley would one day come around and that the relationship would mend.
Laura felt a kiss on her forehead and smiled gently. Ah Henry was awake. She opened her eyes and relished the beginning of her day with the love of her life.